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No more Jack the Bulldog at Georgetown games?

Syracuse v Georgetown

WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 9: Georgetown Hoyas mascot Jack the bulldog walks off the floor for his last game before retiring during a college basketball game against the Georgetown Hoyas on March 9, 2013 at the Verizon Center in Washington, DC. The Hoyas won 61-39. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)

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Georgetown’s adorability at home games as they head into the new Big East received a crushing blow on Wednesday morning, as The Hoya -- Georgetown’s student newspaper -- is reporting that JJ has left school.

JJ is Jack Jr., the one-and-a-half year old bulldog that was set to replace the now-retired Jack the Bulldog at Georgetown games this fall. Jack managed to return for one final season after tearing his ACL last year, with his final game being the 61-39 beatdown the Hoyas handed to Syracuse on the regular season’s final day.

Here are the details from The Hoya:

Mascot-in-training Jack Jr. will not return to campus this fall, and the question of whether Georgetown will continue to have a live bulldog as its mascot remains unanswered, according to student dog-walkers from the Jack Crew.

It is unclear where Jack Jr., or “J.J.,” will go or why he is leaving campus. No students were consulted, and the person responsible for the decision has not been confirmed.


I may be in the minority here, but anytime you can have bulldogs at basketball games -- or, really, anywhere for that matter -- I say go for it.UPDATE: Here’s a statement from Georgetown on the matter:
In April of 2012, our community welcomed Jack, Jr. (J.J.) to Georgetown as mascot-in-training. We housed the young puppy while consulting with trainers and experts to ensure that he was adjusting to life on campus.

Since that time, J.J.’s caretaker and walkers have worked to orient him to campus and train him for mascot duties. We also worked with professional trainers to help J.J. learn about life on a busy college campus. Recognizing that the lifestyle of a mascot is exciting and hectic, involving many people, thousands of screaming fans, and regular appearances at events both on and off-campus, we wanted to ensure that our puppy would be happy with this unique lifestyle.

After 15 months of monitoring and training, in consultation with these experts and the breeder, we determined that returning to a home environment is what is best for J.J.

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